The Art of Sleep
by AlwaysACaskettLover
Summary: Before the miracle of storms and near deaths, sleep was a foreign thing that was rarely welcomed. Fluff-Piece.


**A little fluff piece, hopefully to get out of my writers block. This might be a one shot, but it could be a series of late night dreams and thoughts before they were together. I'm pretty sure it's a one shot.**

The average human falls asleep in 7 minutes.

Castle and Beckett have never been one for 'average'.

Before the miracle of storms and near deaths, sleep was a foreign thing that was rarely welcomed.

During the summer after the funeral and the unwelcome bullet, Beckett couldn't even bare to close her eyes, as for fear of the horrid pain and flashbacks. But once she was able to finally get some rest, there she was in the middle of the night with sweat on her forehead. This time it wasn't the bullet, nor the pain, it was about _him. _About the man that told her she loved her on her deathbed. About the man whom she didn't call for 3 months. It was about the man she loved.

Kate hadn't heard his voice in 3 months. Well, she would have to be at fault for that. She didn't deserve him, just when they where so close, she put her walls up and pushed him away again. The dream had just been so vivid, so real..

"_Kate!" Castle knocked her down, hopefully just in time to absorb the bullet._

_Kate was expecting the pain, but it never came. She felt something sticky. Was it sweat? No, it's worse, much worse. The realization hit her like a punch to the gut. The blood was rushing out and had reached her hand. The glove had quickly turned from white into a crimson red. _

"_Ugh" Castle tried to roll over, but fell back down._

"_Castle" Beckett said in a quiet whisper, that she couldn't even hear it._

"_Castle, keep your eyes open! You better not leave me!" She finally been able to gather the remnants of her voice._

"_Kate-" Castle was becoming weaker by the second._

"_It's ok, Castle, your gonna be ok, Castle, just focus on staying alive" It was more of a reminder for herself than it was for him._

"_Don't get yourself killed" Castle said as he forced a smile._

_The faint heartbeat was suddenly gone. All of it was gone. He was gone._

The next day was when they had that fateful moment on the swings. Sometimes you have to realize the worse before you can work for the best.

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3 months. 3 months and he still hasn't heard from her. 3 months and he still has hope and no dignity as he stares at his phone on his bed stand. He can't help but wonder if Josh is there. If he is, then at least there is someone that cares about her and isn't messed up like he is. But he can't help but feel the sting of jealously in him. Maybe 3 years isn't enough. Castle's insomniac, has taken a serious toll on him. He hasn't even attempt to write, every time it leads to thinking about Beckett. He wonders what it's like for Josh. For him to have an extraordinary woman in his arms. The last dream was so horrid.

"_Castle, just go home" Kate said as she sat in the hospital bed._

"_Kate-" _

"_No, you already gotten me hurt, I don't need you" _

"_I love you" Castle said at his desperate attempt to keep her._

"_I don't love you. I love Josh." Beckett spat back. "Now don't bother me."_

"_I'm sorry. Um- I'll let myself out. Get better" Castle said as his heart has been reduced to shrapnel._

_As Castle turned around, he saw Josh give Beckett a kiss. He saw Josh go down on one knee, and give her a ring. He couldn't take it anymore as he ran out on the street, and broke down._

"We broke up" Beckett said as she turned away and walked to the swings.

All of Castle's nightmares and doubts were turned into dust as he turned and followed her.

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The constant heart beat coming out of Castle's chest a reconfirmation that he was still here and alive, quickly made her fall into a deep sleep in seconds. Castle having Beckett sleeping in his arms, made him feel safe and reassured him that all that scratching and clawing payed off, she was finally his, and he never want her to slip away again. As he quickly fell asleep one last thing that was on his mind was that they were together.


End file.
